Arif Babayev (II)

Arif Babayev was born in the village of Sarihajili, Agdam.

He studied at the Azerbaijan State Institute of Arts (1962-1968).

He began his career as a soloist at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater while still a student - in 1966. Since 1981, he has worked as a teacher at the Bulbul Secondary Specialized Music School, and taught mugham at the current Baku Music Academy (1984-2000). He worked at the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic (1963-1966), the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater (1966). Since 1981, he has been working as the first mugham teacher at the Bulbul Secondary Specialized Music School. For the first time in history, he received the title of mugham professor (1996). From 2002 until the end of his life, he worked as a professor and head of the department at the Azerbaijan National Conservatory.

He was awarded the orders "Shohrat" (1998), "Istiglal" (2008), "Sharaf" (2018), the "Heydar Aliyev" Prize (2025). He is a laureate of the "Golden Plane" international prize (2010).

Honored Artist (1978), People's Artist (1989) Arif Babayev died in 2025 and was buried in the Alley of Honor.